Comic book superheroes Guardians Of The Galaxy are heading to TV in a new animated series for Disney XD. The show, based on the summer (14) blockbuster, will follow the adventures of Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, and his band of unlikely heroes and is expected to debut next year (15). The movie adaptation starred Chris Pratt as Quill, alongside a cast which included Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel.

Walt Disney Pictures/Marvel
The Guardians Of The Galaxy have ended the summer on a high by becoming the year's highest grossing moving in the U.S..
The action film's $16.3 million (GBP9.6 million) Labor Day weekend take was enough to take it back to the top of the box office for a third week, overtaking fellow Marvel Studios superhero blockbuster Captain America: The Winter Soldier along the way.
Guardians of the Galaxy has now made over $274 million (GBP161 million) since its release at the beginning of August (14).
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles remake comes in second with $11.8 million (GBP6.9 million) and Chloe Grace Moretz's new movie If I Stay rounds out the new top three. Low-budget horror film As Above, So Below is the week's highest debut, entering the U.S. box office at four with an estimated $8.3 million (GBP5.2 million).

Richie Sambora, Tico Torres and David Bryan accepted Bon Jovi leader Jon Bon Jovi's ALS Ice Bucket Challenge by dunking freezing water over their heads. The former bandmates took the plunge to raise awareness about the condition and raise funds for the ALS Association after Bon Jovi nominated them to follow his example at the weekend (16-17Aug14), when he recruited New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to tip an ice bucket over his head at a garden party.
Celebrities have been taking the challenge, filming it, posting the footage online and nominating famous friends to follow suit for weeks, boosting the charity's coffers and raising awareness about ALS, aka Lou Gehrig's Disease.
Sambora, who quit Bon Jovi last year (13), took the challenge in his back garden and nominated his reported guitarist girlfriend Orianthi and "friends and fans around the world" to follow his lead, while Gavin DeGraw and Ryan Cabrera were picked by keyboard player Bryan after he was dunked in his swimming pool.
Bon Jovi drummer Tico Torres posted his Ice Bucket Challenge on the band's Facebook page and nominated Alice Cooper, who took the opportunity to cool off on Wednesday (20Aug14) when he was chilled onstage during a concert in Virginia Beach.
He nominated tour co-headliners Motley Crue and movie star pal Johnny Depp to take the plunge. Motley Crue quickly accepted Cooper's challenge with their own onstage dunking, and named Aerosmith, Def Leppard and Kiss to follow suit.
Paul Stanley has already accepted on behalf of Kiss, insisting he'll take on the challenge on Friday (22Aug14).
Cooper is also hoping to raise more money for the ALS Association by selling the stars and stripes T-shirt he was wearing when he was iced onstage and the bathrobe he changed into backstage to raise cash for the cause.

Walt Disney Studios/Marvel
Guardians of the Galaxy grooved its way to a cool $94 million intake over the weekend, proving that Marvel can get as weird and silly as its wants and people will still flock to the theaters. It’s a huge moment for the studio, proof that Marvel is king of the superhero mountain top. But we have to wonder what the box office results would have looked like if anyone else had dared to make a Guardians of the Galaxy. What if the film didn’t have the big red Marvel stamp sewn into every inch of marketing? If Guardians didn’t tease its tenuous connections to the Avengers cinematic universe, would people have still coughed up nearly a hundred million dollars to see it? The answer: no way.
The truth is, if any other studio tried to make a film about a tree, a misanthropic raccoon, and two green people, it would have been laughed out of the theaters without making its money back. If the film were was just an original script with no ties to comic books, it would have a hard enough time just getting made, let alone becoming the biggest August opening of all time. But since this flick isn't simply Guardians of the Galaxy but Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, a talking racoon has suddenly become the key to box office success.
Guardians of the Galaxy doesn't look or feel like any of what Marvel has ever done before. The film is much more of a space opera than your standard superhero flick, but the film doesn't need superheroes to be successful. In building its universe, Marvel has created a phenomenon of must-see movies. The studio has turned its films into a mosaic, a puzzle of films to be sorted out and put together by fans, pieces that come together to form one larger picture. Even though Guardians is the weirdest piece yet, it still has necessary connections to other movies. Marvel has created a fleet of unmissable films. If you want to understand everything that happens in Avengers: Age of Ultron, you better make sure to see Guardians of the Galaxy. It's a spectacular marketing plan, one helped by the fact that Marvel's films are generally pretty good, but one that doesn't leave a whole lot of room for other blockbusters without recognizable source material or connections to larger franchises. Sadly, the only way an space opera like Guardians of the Galaxy could have survived in today's film market is if it's a part of a Marvel's cinematic universe.
The sad truth is that big sci-fi blockbusters don't do well unless they're a part of some larger franchise or well established universe of films. It’s why the nearly great Edge of Tomorrow only managed to scrape together $28 million in its opening weekend. We bet if the Tom Cruise sci-fi actioner was proceeded by the page flipping Marvel title card, it would have made twice its opening weekend gross. We're also willing to bet that if Marvel had created a story about giant robots beating back a swarm of monsters and set it in their cinematic universe, it would have made three times as much money as Pacific Rim, a film whose lifetime domestic gross amounts to what Guardians of the Galaxy made in half a week. Sadly, films like Edge of Tomorrow and Pacific Rim only prove to studios that there's no use in tyring to produce blockbusters that aren't already a part of recognizable franchises or universes. People aren't interested anymore.
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Walt Disney Studios/Marvel
Almost immediately upon exiting my screening of Guardians of the Galaxy, I was hit by a friend and fellow movies writer with the inevitable question: "Better than The Avengers?" Even though Guardians is less a superhero movie than a space adventure, the new release is bound to win (or suffer) comparison to the 2012 hit that broke box office records and redefined the possibility of the already prosperous comic book feature.
But it's no easy question to tackle — is Guardians of the Galaxy (which is great) better than The Avengers (which is great)? I'm still not sure. But when you allocate the debate toward specific elements braved by the films, you close in on something resembling an answer. So here we go. Which movie is better in terms of...
Action?The Avengers. James Gunn is still new to the blockbuster game, and needs to work out a few bugs in his action sequence methodology. Joss Whedon, though generally more of a small-scale player himself, showcased some pretty stellar sequences in '12.
Characters?Guardians of the Galaxy. Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, Rocket, and Groot are not simply snappy vehicles driving us toward exciting set pieces. They and their pangs (and quirks) are the sincere core and draw of this story. You'll be surprised at how much empathy a misanthropic raccoon can command.
Villain?The Avengers, in a big way. Loki was the virtual highlight of his movie, while Guardians' Ronan the Accuser is a moreover anonymous figure that simply spouts colorless threats of tyranny.
Performances?Kind of a toss-up. In Guardians, Chris Pratt is a standout as hero Star-Lord, Dave Bautista is a surprisingly charismatic Drax, and Bradley Cooper and (especially) Vin Diesel managed some pretty impressive vocal charms as Rocket and Groot, respectively. But we'd be remiss to forget how inviting the snarky Robert Downey Jr., caustic Scarlett Johansson, brooding Mark Ruffalo, and flamboyantly wicked Tom Hiddleston all were.
Humor?Guardians of the Galaxy. Yes, The Avengers had terrific moments of comic relief, but these were peppered delicately throughout a tense (albeit joyful) action-adventure movie. Guardians is as much a comedy as it is a genre picture, and its material is sharp and wry.
Coherency?The Avengers. Whedon's flick is astoundingly neat and well-packaged for how grand (and kooky) it is. Guardians' biggest mis-step is probably is clumsy construction.
Special Effects?The Avengers, thanks once again to experience... and an extra $50 million in budget.
Thrills?Probably, again, The Avengers, though not by a wide margin. Something about Whedon's sleek design, meticulous plotting, and an everpresent severity made the whole thing seem a little more gasp-worthy.
Je ne sais quoi?Guardians of the Galaxy. The real victory of Gunn's new film is its spirit, its warm and inviting personal touch. It might have its bugs, but the tidy perfection of The Avengers wouldn't have been appropriate for a film of its theme and motives. Overall, we'd champion Guardians as our preferred Marvel adventure for this reason alone: it's got that special heart that doesn't come around to big budget blockbusters all too often.
But don't just take our word for it. Sound off below!

Walt Disney Pictures/Marvel
There's a pretty good chance you had heard of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and for certain the Hulk prior to their big screen debuts in the Marvel cinematic canon. But the Guardians of the Galaxy are a more esoteric lot. Only those well versed in the publishing company's history will approach this weekend's feature film with any familiarity with Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper), or Groot (Vin Diesel). But rest assured: they've been around. And if you dig them in Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy (which we sure did — check out our review), you'll have the opportunity to check them out elsewhere.
Granted, James Gunn's film does do its share of reinventing in regards to its central fivesome. Well-read fans might notice a new take on Peter Quill's backstory or Drax's species, and newcomers could discover some inconsistencies upon pursuing extracurricular material in light of their blossoming love affairs with the Guardians. But the spirit of the heroes is very much alive in Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy, ditto many of the features and TV series listed below. As such, embrace your affection for the oddball quintet and check out any and all works that will allow you more time with the gang. Here's where to begin:
Planet HulkStar-Lord and Gamora both appear in the 2010 direct-to-video animated film (which has been tossed around the Internet discussion boards as viable source material for upcoming Avengers movies), but without speaking parts.
The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest HeroesAiring on May 6, 2012 (funnily enough, the same weekend that The Avengers hit theaters), the animated series' episode "Michael Korvac" featured Star-Lord, Rocket Raccoon, and Groot as temporary foes of the series' heroes — a league including, at this point, Iron Man, the Hulk, Hawkeye, and Ms. Marvel — when a battle is waged over the capture/safety of the mysterious titular individual. In the episode, voice actors Steve Downes, Greg Ellis, and Troy Baker voice Star-Lord, Rocket, and Groot respectively.
Ultimate Spider-ManThe entire gang banded together (and with a pretty impressive team of vocie actors) for the animated series' aptly named July 2013 episode "Guardians of the Galaxy." The aforementioned Korvac returns as an intergalactic menace with an army of Chitauri, forcing Spider-Man to seek the assistance of the Guardians in the interest of his defeat. Star-Lord is voiced by Marvel regular Chris Cox, Gamora by comedian Nika Futterman, Drax by David Sobolov, Rocket by Billy West (the voice behind Doug Funnie and Futurama's Philip J. Fry), and Groot by the late Michael Clarke Duncan.
Avengers AssembleJust this past April, we got to see all five Guardians take center stage on this animated series' episode "Guardians and Space Knights." Iron Man leads the rest of the Avengers to a distant planet, where they and the Guardians of the Galaxy join forces to stop an impending attack from Galactus. Voice actors Chris Cox, Nika Futterman, and David Sobolov return; meanwhile, Rocket earns the familiar voice of actor and geek icon Seth Green, and Groot is portrayed by Kevin Michael Richardson.
Hulk Agents of S.M.A.S.H.An upcoming episode of the animated series will feature the whole gang back together again, with returning voice actors Cox, Futterman, Sobolov, Green, and Richardson.
And, for a bit of a throwback...
Silver Surfer Gamora makes a few appearances in this late '90s animated series, the first of which being in the two-part episode "Learning Curve," which also featured Drax the Destroyer... albeit a very different version: he was an android, and the servant to the Titanian leader Mentor. Together with Silver Surfer and his pal Pip, Drax helps to stop Thanos (hey, he's in the movie too!) from taking over the universe. Gamora would later show up in episodes "Antibody" and "Radical Justice." In this series, Drax is voiced by Noam Spencer and Gamora is voiced by Mary Long and Alison Sealy-Smith.
But before you check out any of these entries, see the film in theaters now!
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Walt Disney Pictures/Marvel
On the off chance that you’ve managed to avoid the Internet, television, newspapers or other people for the last few months – in which case, welcome back! That one Iggy Azalea song is still a thing and Legolas and the Biebs are feuding now – allow us to remind you that Guardians of the Galaxy opens today. Although, chances are even the most remote parts of the world are still abuzz at the chance to see Andy Dwyer, Neytiri, and the Vin Diesel-tree save the universe. As with every major and minor cultural event, Twitter is full of people sharing their excitement, opinions, criticisms and photos of the snacks they got at the concession stand. And even though celebrities might have cooler jobs and better hair than the rest of us, they too are unable to resist the allure of the latest Marvel movie, or the joy of tweeting about it.
Some of them couldn't contain their excitement (or their cosplay costumes):
So excited for Guardians of The Galaxy! Gonna see it dressed as my favorite character! #GOTG pic.twitter.com/MTWNCBTVRv
— Paul F. Tompkins (@PFTompkins) August 1, 2014
A few couldn't resist bragging about being into Guardians of the Galaxy before it was cool:
I have been excited for #GuardiansOfTheGalaxy since @prattprattpratt had a gut and @KarenGillan2 had long hair! CAN'T WAIT @JamesGunn!!!
— Ben Schwartz (@rejectedjokes) July 30, 2014
There were a handful of concise reviews:
Guardians of the Galaxy is the best one.
— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) August 1, 2014
And discussions about who really stole the show:
I loved GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. It's funny and has heart but the big revelation was how great @DaveBautista is as Drax.
— Gerry Duggan (@GerryDuggan) August 1, 2014
But mostly, people just wanted to share a few general observations about the film:
Of all the “blockbuster summer movies” so far this summer the only one people seem to be talking about is Guardians of the Galaxy
— Colin Hanks (@ColinHanks) August 1, 2014
Just becuase you're in show business, that doesn't mean you won't fall in love with Chris Pratt:
The Year of Chris Pratt begins...now. #GuardiansOfTheGalaxy
— Ken Tremendous (@KenTremendous) July 31, 2014
Although he might have some competition in the celebrity friend/nerd cred department:
Let’s talk for a second about @leepace in #GuardiansOfTheGalaxy. Flawless. That is all. Go follow him. Before everyone else does.
— Nathan Fillion (@NathanFillion) July 29, 2014
And there was absolutely nothing that could potentially cause people to overreact and start reports of a feud. Nothing at all.
Good luck to Mr @JamesGunn this weekend. Truly one of the good guys x
— edgarwright (@edgarwright) August 1, 2014
You can catch Guardians of the Galaxy in theaters everywhere to judge it for yourself. And then tweet about it, of course.
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Splash News
Actor Chris Pratt plans to visit sick children while dressed as his superhero character from new movie Guardians Of The Galaxy after taking his costume home when the cameras stopped rolling.
The actor plays the space superhero group's leader Peter Quill/Star-Lord, and dons an iconic red jacket as he attempts to save the world.
In an interview with Panzer TV promoting the film, Pratt reveals he secretly took his costume from the set in order to do good following the movie's release.
He admits, "I stole the jacket and some of the wardrobe so that, if this movie comes out and does what everyone hopes it can, I can follow the example of someone and go visit kids. "If it was a big enough movie, to where it would mean something to a kid who's sick in the hospital - for Peter Quill or Star-Lord to come visit them - I'll do that. I think that's awesome, man. That would give me real meaning for this movie, you know?..."
"Right now, it means high profile, cool jobs coming up, big press tour, and all the excitement of it all. But none of that really means anything. The coolest things would be that my son can one day see this, and that maybe I can go affect some kids in a positive way; be a good role model for them."
Guardians of the Galaxy, which also stars Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista and Vin Diesel, opens on both sides of the Atlantic on Friday (01Aug14), and studio bosses have already announced a sequel, which is expected to hit cinemas in 2017.